1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a powder container for containing powder, such as toner, and an image forming apparatus that conveys the powder from the powder container to a conveying destination.
2. Description of the Related Art
In image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, printers, or facsimile machines, using an electrophotographic process, a latent image formed on a photoreceptor is developed with toner provided by a developing device. Because the toner is consumed through development of latent images, it is necessary to replenish the developing device with toner. Therefore, a toner replenishing device as a powder supply device provided in an apparatus body conveys toner from a toner container as a powder container to the developing device so that the developing device can be replenished with toner. The developing device that can be replenished with toner as described above enables continuous development. Furthermore, the toner container is detachably attached to the toner replenishing device. If the toner contained in the toner container is used up, the toner container is replaced with one containing new toner.
Regarding the toner container detachably attached to the toner replenishing device, a toner container is known that has a spiral rib formed on a cylindrical inner surface of a toner storage member for containing toner (see Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-241496, Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-221825, Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent No. 4342958, Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-202656, and Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-233247). In such a toner container, the toner storage member is rotated while the toner container is attached to the toner replenishing device, so that the stored toner is conveyed from one end to the other end in the rotation axis direction. Thereafter, the toner is discharged via an opening arranged on the other end of the toner storage member to the main body of the toner replenishing device.
Regarding the toner container that conveys toner stored therein from one end to the other end by rotating the toner storage member, Patent Document 6 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-276659) describes a toner container in which a conveying nozzle fixed to the toner replenishing device is inserted via the opening on the other end of the toner storage member. Specifically, a toner receiving opening is formed in the vicinity of a front end of the conveying nozzle inserted in the toner container in the insertion direction.
However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 6, when the toner container is attached to the toner replenishing device, the outer surface of the conveying nozzle inserted in the toner storage member comes in contact with toner in the toner storage member. Therefore, when the conveying nozzle is removed from the toner container, some of the toner in contact with the conveying nozzle may remain attached to the conveying nozzle and may pass through the nozzle receiving opening along with the conveying nozzle, so that the toner may be leaked from the nozzle receiving opening resulting in toner scattering.
In the above explanation, a problem that occurs with a toner container that contains toner as powder is explained. However, in any powder that contains powder other than toner, if the container is configured to convey and discharge the powder from the inside to the outside by inserting a conveying nozzle fixed to a powder conveying device, powder leaked along with removal of the conveying nozzle may be scattered.
Therefore, there is a need for a powder container that discharges powder from the inside to the outside by inserting a conveying nozzle and that can prevent scattering of leaked powder when the conveying nozzle is removed, and for an image forming apparatus including the powder container.